Man pleads not guilty in choking, fleeing case

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A 31-year-old Milwaukee man authorities say choked a woman, stole her mother's minivan and then fled police pleaded not guilty in Wood County Circuit Court to charges.

Marcus T. Lawson is charged with strangulation as a domestic abuse incident, attempting to flee an officer, operating a motor vehicle without the owner's consent and misdemeanor battery as a domestic abuse incident, all as a repeat offender. During an appearance Tuesday, Wood County Circuit Judge Greg Potter found probable cause to continue the case and scheduled Lawson's next court appearance for Sept. 26.

According to the criminal complaint, on Aug. 6, Lawson was intoxicated, became angry with a woman and choked her until she lost consciousness.

When the woman came to, she told Lawson to stop, but he choked her again, according to the criminal complaint. He then stopped and slapped her across the face.

Lawson took the woman's purse and left the house they were at in Wisconsin Rapids. He took a minivan belonging to the woman's mother, according to the complaint.

A Wisconsin Rapids officer saw the stolen minivan pull into a tavern parking lot in Wisconsin Rapids. He activated his lights and pulled into the parking lot.

Lawson put the minivan in reverse and accelerated toward the squad car, stopping several inches from the car, according to the complaint. He then sped forward, driving over a railroad tie, across the tavern's backyard, through a volleyball court, over another railroad tie and over a curb, according to the complaint.

Lawson then led the officer on a chase at speeds of 50 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to the complaint. At one point, he drove down Eighth Street in the wrong lane.

The chase ended when Lawson got to a dead end at the intersection of Snyder Street and Daly Avenue. Lawson got out of the minivan and started to run from officer who eventually apprehended him, according to the complaint.